UN says it will evacuate sailors stranded in Strait of Hormuz, as Rubio warns against tolls
<li>Published23 June 2026</li>
<p>The UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) is set to evacuate more than 11,000 sailors who have been stranded in the Gulf because of the US-Israel war against Iran.</p>
<p>IMO secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez said the "large-scale operation" would be carried out in cooperation with Iran, Oman, the US, other coastal states in the region and the maritime industry.</p>
<p>"We have secured the necessary safety guarantees and have thoroughly verified the conditions for safe navigation to support these operations," he added.</p>
<p>An interim deal was signed last week to end the conflict, but both the US and Iran continue to clash on details of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).</p>
<p>The US has said the MoU includes guarantees that Iran's nuclear weapons programme will come under inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).</p>
<p>US President Donald Trump posted on social media on Tuesday: "Iran has fully and completely agreed to highest level Nuclear inspections long into the future (Infinity!!!). This will insure 'Nuclear Honesty.'"</p>
<p>Shortly before Trump's post, Iran said the UN watchdog would not be able to inspect nuclear sites bombed by the US and Israel last year.</p>
<p>In response, a US official said: "the Iranians have agreed to robust IAEA inspections of the remains of their nuclear weapons programme. The Iranian regime will say what they have to say for their domestic audience."</p>
<p>Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said during a visit to Pakistan on Tuesday that Iran "will never negotiate with anyone, under any circumstances, ever, about our defensive capabilities".</p>
